David & David --
   For what it is worth, there is James Graham's Secret History of Alcoholism: 
http://www.amazon.com/Secret-History-Alcoholism-Alcoholoics-
Destructive/dp/1852308915
It seems to have been published also under another title: 
http://www.mlode.com/~ra/ra8/alcoholism.htm
http://www.jamesgraham.bz/pages/4/index.htm
   The drinking patterns of politicians etc. are actually an interesting test 
of the limits of availability/price elasticity models.  In many times and 
places, they have essentially unlimited access to free alcohol.  SDo the 
interesting question becomes, what proportion "go off the rails" under those 
circumstances?  (And does the proportion vary by culture, gender, etc.; and how 
is "going off the rails" defined for the rich and powerful?)
   There has been some public mention along the way of the extent to which AA 
networks among politicians have played a role in alcohol treatment polciies -- 
e.g., in the issue of Alcohol Health & Research World celebrating the 25th 
anniversary of NIAAA.  I have seen some stuff in dissertations, also, and had 
some conversations over the years about the hidden role of informal AA caucuses 
in US state legistlatures. 
    Robin   

n 2006-10-03, at 00:04, Courtwright, David wrote:
> Dear David,
>  
> This is a very good question. I have sporadically been collecting information 
on cigarette smoking and tobacco-related illnesses among American political 
elites in the mid-twentieth century. (It's easier to find this material because 
smoking was then less stigmatized than drinking, and its pretty hard to hide 
emphysema and lung cancer.) But I don't know of any systematic prosopographical 
study of drinking patterns in Congress. For what it's worth, books like Caro's 
multi-volume LBJ bio contain many anecdotes of drinking--what you'd expect in a 
clubby, homosocial environment.
>  
> David T. Courtwright
> Email: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> 
>
> ________________________________
>
> From: Alcohol and Drugs History Society on behalf of David Fahey
> Sent: Mon 10/2/2006 11:15 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: alcoholism in US Congress
>
>
>
> Recently several members of the US Congress who have resigned in 
> disgrace (Foley, Ney, Cunningham) appear to blame alcohol for their 
> downfall.  There is a support group in Congress for acknowledged 
> alcoholics (most famous participant, Patrick Kennedy).  Has there 
> been any research on alcoholism in the US Congress or in politics in 
> general, whether American or in other countries, for recent times or 
> historically?  Politicians (and journalists) have a reputation for 
> heavy drinking, but I don't know whether in fact they are more likely 
> to be alcoholics than college professors or dentists or auto 
> mechanics.  I define alcoholism as drinking that affects personal or 
> work life adversely.